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There's a new No. 1 in the third edition of the 2013 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25. Ohio State, which went 12-0 in coach Urban Meyer's first season, jumps two-time defending national champion Alabama for the top spot. I'm not saying the Buckeyes are a better football team than the Crimson Tide; I'm saying Ohio State has an easier path to an undefeated record this coming season.

Also moving up: Oregon, Louisville, South Carolina and Michigan.

Moving down: Stanford, Texas A&M, Florida and LSU.

Quote:

8. South Carolina Gamecocks
Previous rank: 10
With quarterback Connor Shaw recovering from offseason foot surgery, Dylan Thompson took all of the snaps with the No. 1 offense during spring practice. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier seems to have enough confidence in both of them to go with another quarterback rotation this coming season. At least Spurrier has identified a couple of possible replacements for his departed star players: sophomore Mike Davis looks like the heir apparent to tailback Marcus Lattimore and sophomore Shaq Roland emerged as a big-play receiver after Ace Sanders left early for the NFL draft. The Gamecocks also are going to be very young on defense; they must replace all three linebackers and two defensive backs. Linebacker Cedrick Cooper and safety T.J. Gurley are expected back from knee injuries before the start of preseason camp.

Not too early to believe they need to beat ga. to have a better season than 2012. ga. is ranked #7 in this too-early poll. I am quite certain the coaches will have the defense as prepared and focused as possible to stop the b-dogs.

I might put us higher, because of our schedule. We don't have any killer stretch of games like last year. We could be less of a team than last year, but have a better record. That said, it should be a safe bet to say that our offense will be better, with so much returning. Our defense will have question marks outside of the dline, but we should be ok. With our line being able to get pressure quickly, our youth on the back end can be masked some.

He's just saying where he thinks that they will end the year at, which you have to base partly on schedule. He isn't saying who is better than who, only what he thinks the final rating will be. Ohio State avoids the sec kind of gauntlet, so they should be undefeated at the end of the year. With that being said, I think that bama ends up undefeated heading into the sec championship. I think they face an undefeated South Carolina team...

I feel sure the end-up numbers next year will depend in large part on the development this summer of the offensive linemen, two or three linebackers (+spur), and the young DT's. I think the other positions have the ability to shine if the up-front battles are won.

Why do you think this is too high. I know we have a few question marks on defense. But this looks like the best overall Offensive team in a while

Offense:

You have to start with the offensive line. USC is breaking in a brand new center who is only in his second year in the program with no experience. Ronald Patrick @ RG was an enigma the entire season last year. The tackles are big and look pretty in a uniform but have trouble with speed rushers even though they practice against the best pass rusher in the country. The primary backups are either injury prone (Gibson, Matulis) or very inexperienced.

Wide Receivers lost their best playmaker but do return their best player (Ellington) and their best deep threat (Byrd). USC has to find a new X receiver though, who is pretty much the lead target in the system. That battle is between two players that have been erratic ever since they arrived to USC.

Running Back is a battle between a guy that didn't play at all last year and a guy that didn't do much of anything as a freshman. The primary backups are guys that have major injuries in their past, one of which didn't even practice this Spring due to another sport. The two guys behind those reserves are 1st year players. Out of all the question marks on the team, this is the one that shouldn't end up being a concern when its all said and done as we have seen what Wilds can do when healthy and Davis performed well in the Spring.

Quarterback (at the moment) and Tight End are the only spots you can feel good about as a whole.

Defense:

Have to start with the linebackers. The entire 2 deep at WILL and MIKE are gone as well as the starting SPUR. USC doesn't have a Junior linebacker in their corp right now other than Sharrod Golightly who is vastly undersized at SPUR and I believe Cedrick Cooper who is coming off a major knee injury. Also most of these young players still have some developing to do physically. They'll be fast, and they'll make plays but they are going to be wildly inconsistent.

Defensive Line has to find a nose tackle. They lost one of the most undervalued players in the SEC last season in Jerideau. Quarles isn't much of a run stuffer and most of the other defensive tackles are inexperienced. Also have to start developing pass rushers behind the bookends. There is enough talent here to mask any glaring problems and they should be the strength of the defense but there are guys that have to step up and in some cases grow up quickly.

Defensive Back is probably the other thing you can feel good about outside of FS until TJ Gurley comes back and shows he can still play at a high level. Starting Corners are going to be very solid and Brison Williams will be All-SEC at Safety. Have to be a little concerned about the nickel because Rico McWilliams is coming off a knee injury and Ahmad Christian played baseball this Spring. Also have youth at the Safety reserves. The concern isn't so much talent as it is inexperience. Like on the d-line, young guys gotta get seasoned.

Special Teams:

Have to find a new PK and that battle is between two inconsistent players.

Have to find a new PR and that battle is going to go until game week probably. Suprisingly no current player was able to hammer down that job this Spring. Everyone was very inconsistent, and if Pharoh Cooper end up being the guy, that means we have a 1st year player back there.

Only thing to feel good about is Tyler Hull at P who finished strong last season, and Bruce Ellington at KR although you'd like to see some more "pop" from him.

This is very nit picky, I understand. But there is a lot of things that need to fall into place between June and the last week in August.

As a PRESEASON ranking, I think USC should be around 12 given what we have returning and know today.